Wandsworth proposes new Heathrow rail link

The proposed service would stop at Clapham Junction. Image: MayorWatchWandsworth Council has unveiled plans for a new direct rail service from south London to Heathrow Airport.

Based on a scheme initially proposed by Heathrow operator BAA, the proposed service would provide four trains an hour from Waterloo to Terminal 5 with stops in the Wandsworth at Clapham Junction and Putney.

The BAA scheme was scrapped in April but Wandsworth says it’s version avoids routing extra trains through level crossings in Mortlake and Egham – a key problem with the original scheme.

Two services an hour would also come up from Weybridge to Heathrow but without adding extra frequencies over level crossings at Egham.

A new station at Staines would be required to make the scheme possible but Wandsworth says the rest of the route would use existing infrastructure.

Cllr Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: “It’s time Heathrow was put at the centre of a genuine local rail network which offered easy access to communities on all sides of the airport. It’s the only way to get more traffic off the roads.”

The council says it is discussing the proposal with the Department for Transport as part of its Wandsworth Travel Choices campaign.

Comments

Is it a fast train with only limited stops (which it might be if it doesn’t stop at Wandsworth Town – also in Wandsworth borough with Clapham Junction and Putney) or is it going to stop at all the existing stations on the Hounslow loop ?

If it is just using existing services and routing them on to Heathrow, is there much surplus capacity in the trains anyway ?

Seems worth exploring further. How fast could you do Gatwick to Heathrow with a change at Clapham Junction ?